A Perfect Mess
by LadeeBear
Summary: Witholding secrets eventually causes them to unravel. Sonny and Chad are about to discover this firsthand. Sonny/Chad. Please have knowledge of 2x01 before reading!
1. Conversations

**Hello everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. As we are approaching the premiere of the new season of "Sonny With a Chance," I decided to celebrate by writing a little 3-chapter story along the lines of what I think the writers may do with the new episodes. I hope you all enjoy!**

**SPOILER ALERT: Since it seems from the "Falling for the Falls" script (no, I haven't seen the episode yet. I'm anxious, though!) that Chad and Sonny are secretly dating, I think this is going to make a great plot for the writers and add to the comedy of the show. Thus, I decided to take my own liberties and write, what I think, is a cute little sub-plot. ;) **

_Disclaimer: I do not own "Sonny With a Chance," or any of its characters. So don't sue, because I just spent all of my money on tuition and books._

_Spoilers: I assume you know what happens in "Falling for the Falls," the first episode of the second season. If not, I suggest you check out 760mademe on YouTube and their channel has the actual scanned version of the script that you can read through in high resolution. :)_

* * *

A Perfect Mess

Chapter 1: Conversations

"We have to stop meeting like this."

Sonny Monroe rolled her chocolate eyes as she stood, arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe of her apartment. A smirking Chad Dylan Cooper looked at her, blue eyes dancing with the wit of his statement.

"You're lame, Cooper," the brunette insisted, though the corners of her mouth twitched into a momentary smile as she ushered him inside. Chad habitually kicked off his shoes and shrugged his _Mackenzie Falls _blazer off, letting it fall limply to the floor. Sonny eyed the jacket and then him.

"You're picking that up."

Chad's ocean eyes twinkled and he arched an eyebrow. "Or else, what, Monroe?"

Sonny wrinkled her nose. "Or else."

The blonde laughed and waved his hand dismissively. "Empty threats, empty threats," he said, chuckling. Sonny threw him a glare but he slung an arm around her shoulder and squeezed comfortingly. That caused her to smile momentarily.

Instead of following Sonny to the couch, Chad ambled into the kitchen and nearly ran into Connie Monroe, who was preparing dinner.

"Hey Mac – Chad," Connie greeted. She was still having difficulty at times remembering that Chad was indeed not the character he portrayed on his show.

"Hey Mrs. Monroe," the teenager greeted cordially, as he opened the cabinet to find two clean glasses.

Connie smiled. "I keep telling you to call me Connie."

Chad lifted his shoulder in a lazy shrug and proceeded to fill the glasses with fresh orange juice. After taking a sip from his glass, the actor lowered his voice and furrowed his eyebrows. "Is something wrong with Sonny?"

Connie brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and continued to chop vegetables while explaining. "I think she had a tough day at work today. From what I can tell, she's stressed about writing this perfect sketch that Tawni, Zora, Nico, Marshall, and Grady will all approve of."

"She can't please everyone," Chad stated simply, taking another swig of juice.

The mother smiled and chuckled lightly. "Well, you know Sonny," she began. "She's always trying to make everyone around her happy, even if it means that she's miserable."

"Yeah, that's true," he mumbled. Sonny always put too much pressure on herself. It wasn't that she was a perfectionist, per se, but more because she was afraid of disappointing others.

"But," Connie said, smiling genuinely, "she's been looking forward to you coming over all day."

Chad returned Connie's smile. "Same here, so I better get out there and spend some time with my lady," he added with a wink. Connie laughed as Chad meandered through the swinging door and into the living room.

"Hey, Sonshine," Chad greeted brightly upon reentering the room. Sonny glanced up from where she was channel surfing and greeted him with a half-hearted smile. As the blonde plopped down next to his girl, he set their drinks onto the coffee table and sighed.

"What's up?"

"Nothing," Sonny mumbled, continuing to flick through the channels. Chad studied her momentarily before placing his hand over hers on the channel changer and shutting off the television.

"What's up?" Chad repeated, gentler this time as he rubbed his hand lightly over hers. Tears brimmed Sonny's eyelashes as she scooted closer to Chad and rested her head on his shoulder. After a moment of silence and Chad breathing gently into Sonny's hair, the latter muttered:

"I wish I didn't care what people thought."

"It's part of who you are, Sonny," Chad explained. "You're sweet and compassionate, and you want people to like you. That's not wrong."

"No," Sonny replied softly.

After a moment of silence elapsed, Chad nudged Sonny slightly. "So what was your skit idea? Your mom was telling me you were worried about it." Sonny looked up at the blonde drama star, who actually seemed interested, and proceeded to explain to him why she had been so frustrated all day. As she spoke, Chad listened with empathy, something that was still somewhat foreign to him. He and Sonny had only been dating for a month, but already he was learning more about her than he had ever thought. For instance, he learned that she was terrified of bees. Apparently when she was five, she had stepped on one and had never gotten over that fear.

He had also learned random little things about Sonny that made him smile. Every time she ate Skittles, for instance, she always ate the green ones first. When he had asked her about this, she had shrugged and said that green candies had always been her favorite.

"…anyway, I guess I'm just worried that there will be another repeat of the last time I wrote a sketch they didn't like," Sonny finished.

Chad frowned in concentration. "You mean that one about the lame superheroes?"

"Yeah," Sonny said slowly. She sighed. "I just don't want another blow-up between the cast, you know?"

Chad was silent for a moment. "Is that why you're worried about telling them about us?"

Sonny scrunched up her nose in thought before turning to face Chad, brown eyes compassionate. "It's just…you know what they think. They freaked out when I just watched _Mackenzie Falls_. Nico said that the only thing I could do that would be bigger betrayal would be if I dated you."

"I know, I know," Chad repeated. "I guess it's just weird to be sneaking around from your best friends. I mean, if I were dating me, I'd want everyone to know."

Sonny raised an eyebrow at Chad's ego before bursting out into laughter. Chad frowned and let out an indignant "hey!"

"I'm sorry," Sonny apologized between gasps, "but with you being so nice lately, I'd forgotten how egotistical you can be."

Chad's jaw dropped and his eyes narrowed while Sonny continued to laugh. "Oh, really Sonny? Are we really going there?"

The actor looked at the brunette, eyes suddenly glistening mischievously. Sonny, seemingly reading his thoughts, paused. Her chocolate eyes widened. "Chad," she warned. Chad though was already smirking as he leaned into Sonny and began tickling her sides. Sonny squirmed in her couch, barking with laughter and – in between gasps – begged Chad to stop. Chad, quite amused with this spectacle, stopped only because Connie poked her head through the door.

"You guys okay in there?" she asked.

The pair nodded as Sonny wiped tears from her eyes. "Yeah mom," she assured. "We were just going to start a movie. Wanna join?"

Chad smiled as Connie placed dinner in the oven before joining them on the couch with a bowl of popcorn. She snuggled in on the other side of Sonny, who looked to Chad and then her mother with happiness. "Two of my favorite people," the brunette said, grasping both of their hands.

It would have been an odd sight for any tabloid reporter – Chad Dylan Cooper, Hollywood's so-called "bad boy" was watching a movie with his girlfriend and her mother and actually _enjoying _it? Sneaking a glance from the corner of his eye, Chad admired Sonny who was whispering something to her mother and pointing excitedly at the screen. His perfect face formed into a perfect smile. It was hard to explain, but being with Sonny and Connie was almost like having a family again. His own mother and father, though alive physically, might as well have been gone – he saw them a few weeks out of the year when they visited their L.A. mansion, and most of those visits were only because of layover flights.

But Sonny…Sonny felt like home. Everything from her welcoming smile to the crazy little family traditions that she had with her mother made him swell with joy. And, as he caught her smiling out of the corner of his eye, Chad realized that there was nowhere else he'd rather be.

* * *

Tawni snapped her fingers in front of Sonny's face. "Hello, earth to Sonny!"

The brunette in question opened one eye and yawned before pulling her blanket up to her chin. "Five more minutes," she slurred sleepily.

"Marshall's not going to be that gracious," Tawni replied matter-of-factly. Sonny, instead of answering, rolled onto her side and closed her eyes once more. The blonde staring over her frowned. "What's wrong with you? You look like you haven't slept in days."

"Worried about the sketch," Sonny mumbled.

As Tawni stood and tapped her foot impatiently, an idea seemed to form. She smiled and darted out of the dressing room, returning with a fog horn in hand. The actress plugged an ear before blowing the horn and causing Sonny to roll off the couch in a tangled heap.

The brunette glared at her co-star as she unraveled herself from her blanket cocoon. "What in the world was that for?" she yelled.

"Because," Tawni explained, extending her hand to Sonny. The brunette took it hesitantly and was lifted to her feet. "you've been an exhausted mess the past few days. You've spent all of your time worrying about work and school that you barely have time for fun anymore."

Sonny bit her lip, withholding the fact that she was indeed having fun secretly dating Chad. Shaking her head, the brunette remarked: "I'm fine, Tawn. It's just been a stressful month."

The blonde sunk into her make-up chair and studied her friend for a moment before her face lit up in a smile. "I have a way to help you relax and enjoy life again."

"What's that?"

"A boyfriend!"

Sonny's eyes widened and she nearly choked on the water she was sipping. Swallowing harshly, she instead chose to protest. "No, no, I'm good with being single."

"Oh come _on_," Tawni continued, "you haven't been on a date since…James, am I right?"

_To tell or not to tell?_ Inwardly, Sonny's chest was constricting. At that moment she was faced with the opportunity to finally come clean – she could finally tell Tawni that she was dating Chad, and had been for the past month. Everything would be out in the open and they wouldn't have to hide anymore.

…_but the betrayal_, the voice inside of her whispered, _would kill your cast mates. You know they'd never forgive you. Can you really deal with that on top of all of your other stress right now? _Sonny weighed the decision in her mind and blurted: "Pff, I mean, who would I be dating…if I was dating someone…which I'm not."

Tawni's eyebrows knit in confusion, but only momentarily. Her porcelain face promptly widened in a smile. "Good, then it's settled," she proclaimed. "We're getting you a boyfriend to cheer you back up."

Nervously laughing, Sonny excused herself from the room. Once outside, she dialed a familiar number and listened intently.

"CDC here…you know what to do."

"Chad, it's me. We have a slight problem…"

* * *

**I think that's where I shall end it for tonight. So now Tawni has decided that Sonny needs to be fixed up. Unbeknownst to her, of course, is that Sonny is already dating Chad. How will this pan out? You guys know the drill – read, review, and enjoy! :) **


	2. Complications

**Thank you all so much for the positive response to the first chapter of this little three-part story I have concocted. This chapter is going to be the bulk of the story, and I will hopefully post the conclusion by the end of the week or the weekend, considering I started classes this week. I hope you enjoy, and that my characterizations aren't too farfetched (even if the plotline is. LOL). Plus, if you know me at all, you know that I always throw in little plot twists at the end. ;) So please, do what you all do best which is give me feedback! :)**

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and Disney owns everything. So there._

_Spoilers: Have some knowledge of the plot for 2x01 before reading. Also, anything from the first season is fair game._

* * *

Chapter 2: Complications

"You want me to do what now?"

Sonny's incredulous voice echoed throughout her living room, reverberating off the walls and back to her own astounded ears. Chad was still smiling.

"I want you to date him."

"…I'm sorry, but I'm really confused right now," the brunette admitted, frown lines creasing across her face.

The blonde sitting next to her ran a hand through his hair. "I think it'd be amusing."

"You think it'd be _amusing_?" Sonny echoed, voice dripping with sarcasm. "What the heck is going on in that head of yours, Chad Dylan Cooper?"

The teenager in question chuckled and shook his head. "Sonny, sweet little Sonny, haven't you learned by now that I am always right?"

As Sonny's jaw dropped open on its own accord, she couldn't help but want to yell and scream at him. She had called him, inviting him over to discuss Tawni's plan. She had thought that he would be completely and utterly opposed to the idea of her dating another guy, even if she wasn't _really _dating him.

Chad must have gone off the deep end or inhaled too many of his hair product fumes though, because he was actually encouraging her to follow Tawni's advice.

The befuddled brunette merely stared at her boyfriend. "…seriously, what is wrong with you? And what does this have to do with you being right?"

"Well, if I recall, I was the one who wanted to tell Blondie about us dating in the first place," Chad chided. "And," he continued, "if we would have done what I had suggested, you wouldn't be in this predicament right now."

Sonny didn't know which she was more upset about – the fact that she was in the aforementioned predicament, or the fact that Chad was actually right. Instead of acknowledging his victory, however, the actress huffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Chad smirked in his signature manner and popped his collar. "And you know I'm right."

Jaw clenched, Sonny glared and said nothing which only caused Chad to smirk more. "That's what I thought," he replied.

Uncrossing her arms, wheels began to turn in Sonny's mind. Her chocolate eyes suddenly blazed with a devious thought. "You wouldn't be able to stand the sight of me fake-dating another guy," she remarked simply.

Chad's smirk faltered.

"That's what I thought," Sonny mocked in a low voice. She smiled and continued. "In fact, I'll bet that you would get so insanely jealous with me dating someone else that you would admit to everyone that _we_ are actually the ones dating."

Chad narrowed his eyes as a smile played on his lips. It was a challenge. Leaning in closer to Sonny, he watched her face soften. Noses touching, her eyelashes fluttered softly as he felt her breath on his lips.

"…and I'll bet," Chad declared, pulling away from Sonny so abruptly that she fell forward, "that you would miss me and my amazing Chad-ness too much, thereby admitting to everyone that you already have the perfect boyfriend."

Straightening up, Sonny brushed hair out of her face and laughed. "Would the 'perfect boyfriend' make a bet with his girlfriend as complex and slightly devious as this one?"

Chad grinned. "He would, because no matter what, he would have the perfect girl in the end with him."

As Sonny's mouth opened to coo at his sentiment, she stopped herself and glared. Chad continued to smile and leaned back into the couch. "Oh, victory, thy name is Chad."

"So we're doing this?" she asked daringly.

Chad nodded and held up a finger. "But here are the terms," he explained. "We're not allowed any co-conspirators in this. This bet stays between us." The drama star paused and held up another finger. "And you're not allowed to kiss him."

Sonny laughed and licked her lips. "Why, Chad? Would that make you too jealous?"

Chad frowned and slowly formed his words. "No," he lied. "But it seems like a decent boundary, okay?"

Sonny nodded, not telling him that he was the only one she wanted to kiss. "Okay."

Chad extended his hand to Sonny and the pair shook. "May the best significant other win."

* * *

"I'm so glad that you're going to finally get out and have a social life again," Tawni exclaimed, straightening her blouse. "Well, not like you really had one to begin with…but still, everyone needs a boy in their lives!"

Sonny nodded mutely, smoothing out the hair that Tawni had insisted she straighten and playing with a bracelet that Tawni had insisted she wear. The little black dress she had on was certainly flattering, and while there was a part of her that longed to win the bet, there was another – much larger – part that was having reservations about lying to an innocent, probably nice guy. Sonny Monroe wanted to be a winner…but at what cost?

"Sonny," Tawni interrupted as the pair approached two young men outside of an up-scale L.A. restaurant, "this is Jason, and Seth." Tawni had already mentioned that she had been interested in Jason since he had stepped foot onto the _Teen Gladiator _set. Apparently, he was claimed territory. When it came to Tawni Hart, Sonny always seemed to get leftovers.

"Hi," Seth meekly replied, extending a hand, which Sonny shook, equally as meek. _This is going to be harder than I thought…_

Surprisingly though, after an hour of appetizers and conversation, Sonny was laughing with Seth, swapping stories of rural Wisconsin life, as he was from Green Bay and a hardcore Packers fan. She actually found herself enjoying the company of a male acquaintance.

"So," Seth began slowly as the pair walked toward Tawni's flashy convertible, "would you like to go on another date…possibly?"

Suddenly, the air deflated from Sonny's lungs as she remembered exactly what was happening. She wasn't merely befriending an intern from the studio – she was _dating _him. She forced a small smile and nodded.

"Yeah, that'd be nice."

But something like guilt gnawed the pit of Sonny's stomach as she slipped into the car and watched Seth wave her goodbye.

* * *

"He's a nice guy, Chad, and I feel terrible leading him on."

Sonny and Chad were sitting Indian style on her bedroom floor. Chad had somehow managed to get roped into helping Sonny glue dozens of individual cut-out stars to a poster board for her cousin's dance recital.

The actor sighed. "I know you do, Sonny."

After a pause, Sonny asked: "Is this really worth it…the bet, I mean? There's a nice guy named Seth who I have been 'dating' for a week, and I feel so guilty for deceiving him that I can't even enjoy his company."

Chad mumbled something in response.

"Sorry, what was that, Chad?" she asked, eyebrows furrowed as she pressed another star to the board.

The blonde exhaled and twiddled his thumbs. "I know you don't want to lead him on, but like I told you before, you wouldn't be in this situation if…"

"Chad," Sonny warned, brown eyes growing darker, "you know why I can't tell them."

Chad licked his lips, piercing blue eyes holding Sonny's gaze. "No, I don't think I do. If you really care about me, why should it make a difference as to what your co-stars think?"

Sonny was silent for a moment as she allowed Chad's statement to soak in. It shouldn't have mattered, to be honest. In fact, even Connie Monroe loved Chad, and practically considered him family given the amount of time he had spent at their apartment during the past month. She thought him to be a sweet, funny, good-looking boy who treated her daughter well. What more could a mother ask for?

Then why _did _it matter? For Sonny, confrontation had always been one of her biggest issues. She was often times so non-confrontational that it was poisonous. Her desire to make everyone happy had nearly driven her to insomnia two weeks ago because of a sketch. A _sketch_. Why did she care so much about what others thought?

The truth was that she knew that Tawni, Nico, Grady, and Zora would eventually be okay with her dating Chad. Their initial reactions would probably be something resembling shock and confusion, but eventually they would get over it. She knew that. Perhaps there was a part of her, buried beneath the external façades and internal thoughts that wondered if she and Chad were truly right for one another. Doubt was powerful and it was also a dangerous place to inhabit.

So, the brunette faltered. "Be-because, it just does, okay? They're my best friends."

Chad's frown deepened. "So if they didn't like me, you would…what? Just call it off between us? Just to please _them_?"

"I just want everyone to be happy, Chad," she explained, rubbing her temples.

Chad placed his glue gun down and looked at Sonny sincerely. "At what cost, Sonny? At the cost of _your _happiness?"

Sonny was silent as tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. She hastily wiped them away and looked up to meet Chad's intense gaze. When she didn't respond, the blonde sighed and placed his glue gun down before rising.

"I'm sorry, Sonny, but I've gotta go." He stuck his hands into his pockets and solemnly walked to the door.

As she opened her mouth to stop him, words failed her. And so she sat like a fish waiting for water, floundering for the right thing to say. But it never came.

* * *

Sonny Monroe curled up in a crocheted blanket on her couch, clutching the corners protectively around her. She wasn't cold, though – she just needed something to wrap its arms around her and hold her tight. For the past four days, Chad hadn't called. He hadn't stopped by, e-mailed, texted, or acknowledged her in the commissary. For the past four days, it was like they hadn't been dating.

The irony was that for the past four days, Seth _had_ called, e-mailed, texted, and stopped by to bring Sonny soup (she had told everyone that the reason for her blasé behavior had been due to illness), tell her jokes, and mostly just talk. His bright green eyes dimmed when he saw her disheartened attitude and less than "sunny" disposition.

"I miss the sunny Sonny," he said, genuine compassion written on his face.

Sonny had laughed at the cheesy sentiment and forced a small smile. "I'll be okay."

So for the past ninety-six hours, Seth had been doing everything that a good boyfriend should do, and Chad had been distant. As Sonny pulled the blanket off her body, she groaned. Why did boys and relationships have to be so difficult? She cared about Chad. Immensely. Probably more than she should, and their first fight had been excruciating for her, mainly because he was right, but also because she missed him. Whenever he strolled by her in the commissary, a little pang shot through her heart. It wasn't a sword-like pain, or even a dagger-like one…it was as if she had stepped on a tack – painful enough to be effective, and stinging in its aftermath.

Seth was a genuine, nice guy. But he was no Chad, and he would never be. As Sonny sat up and fixed her ponytail, she realized something that she should have all along. It didn't matter who won their stupid bets or their pointless arguments. It didn't matter that he could be egotistical and she was a people-pleaser. It didn't matter that he liked to go to fancy restaurants and she preferred home-cooked meals. What mattered was how she felt about him, and how he felt about her. She shouldn't be afraid to tell her friends and co-workers about him – she should have been longing to tell them about the great guy that he was and how happy _she _was to be with him. It didn't matter what others thought, it only mattered how she felt. Sometimes, she realized, you just can't please everyone. But if you are content, then others should be happy for you.

Smiling in this revelation, Sonny plucked her cell phone from the coffee table, just in time to receive an incoming call. _Chad Dylan Cooper_. The brunette eagerly picked up the call.

"Chad," she rushed, "I was just about to call you and apologize…"

"Sonny, I'm sorry I haven't called earlier. You were right…"

"…you were right."

The pair paused and Sonny removed the phone from her ear, looked at it suspiciously, and then listened again. "Wait, I think my phone is echoing."

Chad laughed. "No, I think we just both apologized at the same time."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Sonny asked: "Why are you apologizing?"

"Look," the actor explained, "I had no right to tell you what to do when it comes to your relationship with me. If you want to wait to tell your friends, that's okay. The main thing is that I respect your thoughts in this relationship."

"Well, that is very touching and mature of you Chad," Sonny said sweetly. "But you're an idiot for apologizing. I'm the one who needs to apologize. You were right – I shouldn't care so much what others think of us. I'm not ashamed, and I don't want others to think that I am ashamed to be with you."

There was a pause. "So," Chad drawled slowly, "what did you say again? I think there are three little words in there that need to be repeated…"

Sonny glared, forgetting that her egotistical boyfriend couldn't see her. "Ha-ha Chad," she began. "I'll repeat it once more, but that's it – you were right."

Chad sighed happily. "The best three words in the English language."

The brunette rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Your ego is so large, Chad, that I'm surprised it doesn't have its own zip code." When she heard Chad gasp dramatically on the other end of the line, she laughed. "Yes, Chad, I just burned you."

"Well, I am insulted," he explained. There was a pause before he added: "But I begrudgingly admit that your insult was pretty good." After another moment, he asked: "So, is our fight officially over?"

Sonny smiled. "Yes, Cooper, it's over. At least this fight is."

"Good."

"Good."

"So," Chad began, "how are you going to break the news to Seth that your dating days with him are over?"

As Sonny opened her mouth to respond, there was a knock on her door, and the actress frowned. "Hey, someone's at the door, Chad. Can you hang on for a sec?"

"Sure, I'll hang on," he replied.

Sonny meandered her way to the door, dropping the phone from her ear so that it now rested in her hand, comfortably by her side. When she swung open the door, she was surprised to see Seth standing in the hallway.

"Seth?" she asked slowly. "What are you doing here?"

Stepping inside her apartment, the young man wrung his hands together nervously, and Sonny frowned, clearly puzzled. After a moment of silence, Seth took a deep breath and looked at his companion with deep sincerity.

"I know that we haven't known each other that long, but I just had to tell you this," he said hurriedly. When Sonny's gaze beckoned him to continue, he formed his words deliberately and clearly.

"Sonny, I love you."

Sonny's mouth fell open and she nearly dropped her cell phone onto the floor, forgetting that Chad was still on the other line.

_Oh, crap._

* * *

**Dun-dun-DUN. :) **

**Now, if you know me, you know that there has to be some little twist to this story, and I will definitely let you in on that twist when you read the conclusion of our three-part adventure. How is Sonny going to handle this? Is Seth going to get his heart broken? Will Sonny EVER tell her cast mates about her secret boyfriend? **

**These answered questions and more in the next chapter! Like I mentioned earlier, keep an eye out either by the end of this week or the weekend. In the mean time, let me know what you thought of this chapter!**


	3. Revelations

**Thank you all so much for your kind reviews again! I really appreciate all of the feedback, and especially how you all reacted to last chapter's cliffhanger. ;) This is the final installment of our little three-part tale, so I hope that it is everything you expected and more! (If for no other reason, read this chapter because I lock Sonny and Chad in the costume closet. :P) Please enjoy and let me know what you think. :)**

_Disclaimers: I own nothing._

_Spoilers: Anything from season one._

* * *

Chapter 3: Revelations

Sonny's mouth was still wide open with shock, and had been for a few minutes. She was pretty sure at least one bug had flown in there during that time. Seth currently stood and eyed her warily.

"Sonny, are…are you okay?" he asked hesitantly. Green eyes were fixed on hers as she finally closed her mouth.

"I'm f-fine," she stammered, sweaty palms attempting to catch the phone in her hand. _Sonny? Sonny, are you there? What's going on? _The brunette heard Chad's faint voice questioning her from the other end of the line, and she hung up the phone abruptly. She'd call him back in a minute anyway.

"I know this is a lot to take in, but trust me," he said slowly, taking a step toward her. Sonny's eyes widened as she took a hesitant step backward. Seth paused and ran a hand through his hair. "Trust me," he repeated, "I have thought about this and I mean what I said."

The actress swallowed hard. "But…you don't really know me," she explained. After pausing a moment to think, she added hastily: "Like, I have really bad morning breath. And…and I cry uncontrollably whenever I watch _Bambi_."

Seth smiled. "I don't care about those things. In fact, they're all the more reason to love you."

"All the more?" Sonny squeaked nervously.

"Yeah," Seth explained. "It's all of those little quirks about you that make you lovable."

Sonny forced a loud laugh. "Pff, I'm not…you don't want to…_we _aren't…"

Seth held up a hand and Sonny paused her frantic rambling momentarily. "I'll see myself out. I know it's a lot to process in one night, so maybe we can talk tomorrow about this? Say over lunch?"

Even though every fiber in her being wanted to shake her head, Sonny nodded slowly and let Seth give her a peck on the cheek on his way out the door. Once she closed the apartment door behind her, Sonny pulled out her phone, ignoring the voicemails that were most likely from Chad, and dialed a familiar number.

"Monroe, what the hell was that?"

Sonny slumped onto the couch and ran a hand through her hair. "You have no idea what just happened. Seth just told me that he was in love with me."

There was a pause and then Chad broke out into laughter. Sonny frowned, both confused and angered at his outburst.

"Chad, this isn't funny," she chided.

Chad's laughter subsided. "Yeah," he said slowly, "I'm just laughing because of how awkward this all is."

Exhausted from her emotions, Sonny found herself unable to even muster the energy to respond to Chad's joking sentiment. Her companion took note and replied softly: "Do you want me to come over?"

"Yes."

* * *

Connie Monroe stood with a small, sad smile on her face. Arms crossed over her chest, she watched Sonny's body rise and fall slowly on the couch as she slept. She was wrapped in her favorite blanket, body curled up against Chad snoring away. Connie watched as Chad smiled, even though Sonny was drooling on his shoulder. The actor gently lowered her to the couch and tucked her in before placing a swift kiss on her forehead. As he turned to pick up his jacket, Chad jumped, placing his hand over his chest.

"Geez, Mrs. Monroe," he whispered, "you scared me."

Connie's eyes apologized and she motioned with her finger for Chad to come closer to her. He obliged and listened as she whispered: "What happened?"

Chad ran a hand through his hair. "It's a long story."

"Does it involve Sonny in any kind of mortal, immoral, or imminent danger?" the mother asked, raising her eyebrows in speculation.

The actor chuckled lightly. "No, no, nothing like that."

Connie contemplated for a moment. "Well, if I know my Sonny, and I'm pretty sure that I do, I would say that she always manages to find a way to get out of any mess that she's gotten herself into."

"Yeah," Chad replied slowly, "this time isn't any different."

"Good."

"Good."

After a beat, Connie remarked: "Isn't that your and Sonny's trademark banter?"

"Yeah I guess it kinda is," the blonde replied with a genuine smile. Checking his phone, he added: "I've got shooting scheduled really early tomorrow. Can you tell Sonny to be sure to check her phone when she wakes up?"

Nodding, Sonny's mother agreed and bid Chad goodnight. After she had slid the door shut as quietly as possible, Connie turned to gaze at her snoring daughter on the couch. Instead of waking the brunette and moving her into her bedroom, Mrs. Monroe chose to tuck her in. And, with a smile and a kiss to her forehead, the mother bid her daughter a silent goodnight.

* * *

Sonny Monroe currently paced her kitchen floor, anxious for many reasons. For one, she had texted Seth earlier and told him that she wanted to talk to him later in the day. She dismissed his idea of having lunch, instead saying that they could meet in her dressing room. Sonny wasn't heartless – if she was going to dump someone, especially someone who loved her, it wouldn't be in front of the entire population of Condor Studios. In a slightly lesser degree of nervousness, the actress was set to debut her sketch to the rest of the _So Random! _cast and Marshall that day.

_And _her pop-tart was taking forever in the toaster.

All in all, it was set to be an awkward day at best. Of course, it could also be quite disastrous. Knowing Sonny, she was expecting the latter. The one bright spot in her day had been Chad. She had woken up and rubbed her neck stiffly, yawning and looking around the fully lit living room. Her Sonny senses (or rather, just her sense of smell) noted that her mother was currently perking a pot of coffee in the kitchen.

Still half-asleep, the young woman rose from the couch and ambled into the kitchen. "Mornin' sunshine," her mother greeted, bubbly with enthusiasm.

Sonny shot her mother a glare. She was always perky in the mornings. "Ugh," the brunette groaned, slumping into a chair at the kitchen table. She massaged her temples. "This is going to be a long day."

Connie threw a smile over her shoulder as she stirred a lump of sugar into her coffee. "You can do it sweetie." As an afterthought, she added: "I was told that you need to check your phone as well."

Frowning, the brunette pulled her phone out of her pocket, read the screen, and smiled. Her mother looked at Sonny with curiosity before the teenager turned the phone toward her so that she could read the text.

_Here's why today will be great: 1) you can see me, and I make every day great. Haha, no but seriously, you're the reason why life is better at the studio than it ever was. You make MY life better. …okay, too cheesy? Fine. (Fine.) Good. (Good.) Later, sunshine._

"Chad is such a sweet boy," Connie cooed. Sonny rolled her eyes and placed her phone back into her pocket.

"He's such a strange boy," Sonny remarked. But a smile stretched onto her face nevertheless.

* * *

"We have to stop meeting like this."

Sonny shook her head and peered down the hallway cautiously before tugging Chad's sleeve and pulling him into the _So Random! _costume closet. Once the pair was inside, Sonny turned to face the actor.

"First of all, we have to keep our voices down, because I'm pretty sure my cast is wandering around here somewhere." The brunette paused. "Second of all, your joke is less amusing the second time around. And twice as lame."

Chad placed his hand over his heart in mock hurt. "Way to wound me, Sonny." As he peered around the lit closet at the various absurd costumes, he remarked dryly: "You couldn't pick a better place to talk?"

Sonny glared and folded her arms across her chest. "You'll take what I give you, Cooper."

Chad's eyebrows rose and he sardonically replied: "Yes ma'am."

Eyeing the young man standing across from her, Sonny couldn't help but let a brief smile flicker on her lips at his remark. Chad smiled in return and took a step toward Sonny, placing his hands delicately on her hips. In response, she slid her arms around his neck and drew him into a hug. Chad breathed into her hair for a moment before pulling back ever so slightly so that their noses touched.

It was Sonny though who closed the gap between them, gently kissing Chad's lips quickly. Giggling, she pulled herself out of his grasp, inducing a whine from the blonde. Sonny looked at him, a playful smirk tugging at her lips.

"You're such a baby," she quipped.

Chad pouted. "_You're _such a tease."

Sonny's eyebrows rose. "Being a baby is worse."

"I tend to disagree," Chad mumbled. He turned to Sonny and the brunette nearly laughed. He was going to use his "acting face" on her. Soft eyelashes blinked, revealing beautiful, calm, and inviting blue eyes. They were sparkling and attempting to work their charm.

Sonny, of course, knew better, and playfully smacked him with her purse. She nearly erupted into a fit of laughter, but at that moment, the brunette held a finger up to her lips. Eyes widened, she paused and listened to the muffled voice of Zora from outside of the costume closet.

"I'm gonna grab my costume for the next sketch. I'll be out in a minute."

Chad's eyes widened and he frantically looked for somewhere to hide. Sonny forcefully shoved him into the back corner and threw a pile of sequined dresses over him. Just as Chad slumped to the floor under the weight of the clothing, Zora twisted the doorknob and waltzed into the costume closet.

"Sonny?" she asked, eyebrows furrowed in bewilderment. "What are you doing in here?"

Wheels began turning in Sonny's mind as she hastily formed an excuse. "Well…I was just checking out the costumes…for my new sketch." The brunette pulled out the first dress that she touched, which just so happened to be a hideous shame of green.

"Uh, Sonny," Zora noted, eyebrows still dancing skeptically, "that dress looks like _puke_."

Sonny forced a laugh and patted Zora's shoulder before placing the dress back onto the rack. "See? That's why I have other people help me pick out the costumes."

The little girl frowned, eyes showing concern. "Are you okay? You seem really weird."

"I'm fine, I'm fine," the brunette insisted. As Zora plucked her desired costume from a rack that was dangerously close to where Chad was hiding, Sonny tapped her foot nervously.

"Anyway," Zora said, elongating the word and looking at Sonny once more, "I think I'll head out. Are you _sure _you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm great!" Sonny insisted, gripping Zora's shoulders and steering her out the door while babbling: "You should go and rehearse now. I'll be right behind you. I just need to…uh…find a more appropriate outfit for my sketch today."

Still looking at Sonny as if she was the oddest human being on the planet, the little girl walked out into the hallway and toward stage. Once the door was shut, Chad threw off the various articles of clothing that he was buried under and took a deep, dramatic breath of air.

"Good God it was hot under there," he muttered, smoothing out his hair and standing to his feet. "So is she gone?"

"Yes," Sonny replied, exhaling steadily. She hoped her pulse would return to a normal rate soon. The actress pointed a finger at Chad. "Alright," she declared, "I am going to talk to Seth and tell him that I want to break up. And then I am going to tell Tawni, Nico, Grady, Zora, and Marshall so that you don't have to hide under piles of costumes anymore."

"Nothing would make me happier."

* * *

"Seth, we need to talk."

Sonny ushered the young man into her dressing room and perched herself on the edge of the couch. Seth's green eyes showed signs of confusion.

"Okay," he said slowly, choosing to sit across from Sonny on the couch.

The brunette breathed a sigh before licking her lips. "I don't know exactly how to say this, but…"

But Sonny didn't have any need to explain further, for at that moment, Tawni Hart burst into the dressing room, flipping her hair over her shoulder with glee.

"It's good to see me, isn't it?" she asked, examining herself in the mirror.

Sonny frowned and shot a glare at Tawni before hissing to her: "I'm kind of in the middle of something."

The blonde looked from Sonny to Seth who was currently very confused. Tawni lifted a shoulder in a nonchalant shrug. "Go ahead."

The brunette smiled apologetically at her male companion before rising and dragging Tawni to the other side of their room. "Look," Sonny whispered, "I just really need for you to give me and Seth a few minutes of privacy. After that, you can look in the mirror all you want to. In fact," the brunette paused to pull a compact out of her make-up bag, "here's one for the road."

Sonny attempted to forcefully steer her roommate out the door, but Tawni would have none of it. "I don't see why I can't be in here," she remarked in a low voice.

_This is not the day to annoy me, Tawni_. "Because," her friend explained quietly, "I need to talk to Seth. Alone."

"Ooh," Tawni began, eyes widening with interest, "are you going to tell him that you love him? See, I knew that you two would be perfect for each other, especially because…"

"I'm going to break up with him!"

The room fell so silent that Sonny couldn't even hear the sound of Zora's breathing in the vents. Eyes wide with remorse, the actress turned to the couch where Seth, who looked wounded, was facing her. Tawni's jaw had dropped and she now stood, looking from Sonny to Seth with intrigue.

"You…you want to break up?" he asked slowly.

As Sonny ran a hand through her hair, she nodded mutely. "Seth, you're an amazing guy, and any girl would be lucky to go out with you. But…not this girl."

"But…"

Sonny held up her hand to continue, as Seth and Tawni looked at one another with confusion. "I'm not that girl for you, Seth. In fact…I'm already content in a relationship with someone else. Chad Dylan Cooper. And…I think I love him."

As Sonny paused in her miniature monologue, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders upon her declaration. Was she really in love with Chad? An involuntary smile lit up her face, and her chocolate eyes misted. Sure, they would probably always be rivals in some sense. But there was something about Chad – his charm, his laugh, the way he made her feel safe, the banters they had – and perhaps it was all of those things combined and more that made her love him.

Sonny was so absorbed in her thoughts and revelations that she failed to notice Seth and Tawni's shared grins.

"Well," Tawni began, a glisten apparent in her eyes, "it took you long enough to admit!"

Snapped free from her daze, Sonny now frowned as Zora slid open the vent and beamed. "Man, I thought you would never crack." Seth rose from the couch and stood beneath the vent, high-fiving the littlest member of _So Random!_ Sonny's confused frown deepened.

"Wait…what? You guys knew about me and Chad?"

Tawni rolled her eyes as she examined her fingernails. "Duh. I may be blonde, but I'm not stupid."

"We _all _knew about you two," Zora explained. After a pause, she added: "Pretty much since the moment you met him."

Sonny's head was clouded with too many thoughts. "So…you guys are actually okay with me dating Chad?"

Zora shrugged and looked at Tawni. "We all kind of held a team meeting after you and Chad went on Gilroy's show. We figured that you two probably admitted your feelings and would start secretly dating…"

"…since we knew you are _way _too non-confrontational to ever tell us," Tawni interjected.

Zora nodded and continued. "So that's when we thought about a little devious way to get you to admit to us that you were dating Chad."

Sonny eyed Seth, who shrugged. "Guilty as charged," he remarked.

Still somewhat in awe of all of the secrets being spilled out, Sonny asked: "So you were just bait?"

The young man shrugged his shoulders again. "Tawni asked me if I would pretend to date you, at least until you admitted your secret to me. I felt bad deceiving you, but it really gave me a chance to work on my acting skills."

"Well," Sonny began, "I feel bad for deceiving you too, Seth."

"Apology accepted," he replied with a smile.

"So…" the brunette began slowly, "…I'm pretty much free to tell Chad about this?"

Zora and Tawni looked at one another as the dressing room door opened and a grinning Chad stepped inside the threshold. "We kind of took the liberty of doing that for you," Zora explained. As Sonny was about to question her co-star, the latter held up her cell phone, and Chad waved his.

"You heard the whole thing?" Sonny asked as Chad stopped a few feet away from her.

Chad's smile dazzled. "Eh, I heard most. Zora has pretty terrible reception in the vents." After a pause, the blonde grasped Sonny's arms. "But I did hear what you said about me. I love you too."

Sonny was still smiling as Chad kissed her soundly.

Zora, Tawni, and Seth let out a loud chorus of "eww's" as Sonny and Chad broke apart.

"I guess we're going to have to get used to that," Tawni responded, wrinkling her nose at the pair.

"Just promise you two aren't going to be all mushy-gushy and gross all the time," Zora added, looking equally as grossed out as Tawni.

Sonny looked at Chad who nodded. "We promise," the brunette assured her cast.

"Good," Tawni said with a genuine smile at her friend. Sonny took a few steps forward and hugged the blonde tightly.

"Good," Zora exclaimed from the vent. Sonny shook her head and smiled up at her.

Seth looked at Sonny with a nod, and the two embraced. "Good," he declared.

"Fine," Chad said. As he stared across the room at Sonny, he couldn't help but admire how graceful and beautiful she was.

"Yes," Sonny explained, glancing around the room at people who cared about her. "Yes we are."

* * *

**It's a pretty cheesy way to end a story, even for me. LOL. Well, I hope that you all enjoyed this little three-parter and were satisfied that Tawni and Zora had a plan up their sleeves the entire time. I always enjoy making characters intelligent and devious. ;)**

**Thank you all for your reviews and comments, as I always enjoy them! Please let me know your thoughts and have a wonderful week. :) **


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